Title IX is committed to the holistic growth of student development by providing wrap around services that are centered in equity and access of student needs. Our office aims to support students through programs and resources that help each student achieve their educational goals
Report an Incident to Coastline
Coastline College is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and access to institutional programs and activities.
Students, staff, administrators, and faculty are entitled to an educational and working environment free from gender or sex-based discrimination and harassment. Sexual Harassment, including Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking, is unlawful sex discrimination.
In response to recent decisions made by the California Court of Appeals and U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, the District hereby implements the following interim Title IX procedure to address alleged violations of Sexual Harassment by Students pending changes to District BP/AP 5910.
The District prohibits:
Interim AP 5910 Sexual Misconduct - Interim Procedure
CCCD Nondiscrimination Policy: Title IX & Sexual Misconduct
As many of you may know, the State of California passed a law (Senate Bill 967), affectionately known as the Yes Means Yes law, requiring both parties who are engaging in sexual activity to give on-going consent.
Please review CCC's Sexual Misconduct on Campus brochure (PDF) for more information about our policy and your rights under Title IX.
Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At School
Acts of Sexual Harassment may be committed by any person upon any other person, regardless of the sex, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity of those involved. Sexual Harassment, as an umbrella category, includes offenses of Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking, and is defined as:
There are inherent risks in any romantic or sexual relationship between individuals in unequal positions (such as teacher and student, supervisor and employee). These relationships may be less consensual than perceived by the individual whose position confers power. The relationship also may be viewed in different ways by each of the parties, particularly in retrospect. Furthermore, circumstances may change, and conduct that was previously welcome may become unwelcome. Even when both parties have consented at the outset to a romantic or sexual involvement, this past consent may not remove grounds for a later charge of a violation of applicable sections of the faculty/staff handbooks. The college does not wish to interfere with private choices regarding personal relationships when these relationships do not interfere with the college's goals or district policies. For the personal protection of members of this community, relationships in which power differentials are inherent (faculty-student, staff-student, administrator-student) are generally discouraged. Consensual romantic or sexual relationships in which one party maintains a direct supervisory or evaluative role over the other party is in violation of district policy (CCCD BP 7310). This includes student assistants over whom they have direct responsibility.
The determination of whether an environment is "hostile" must be based on all of the circumstances. These circumstances could include:
Sexual Contact includes:
Intentional contact with the breasts, buttock, groin, or genitals, or touching another with any of these body parts, or making another touch you or themselves with or on any of these body parts; any intentional bodily contact in a sexual manner, though not involving contact with/of/by breasts, buttocks, groin, genitals, mouth or other orifice.
Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse is any sexual intercourse however slight, with any object, by a man or woman upon a man or a woman that is without consent and/or by force. Intercourse includes vaginal penetration by a penis, object, tongue or finger, anal penetration by a penis, object, tongue, or finger, and oral copulation (mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact), no matter how slight the penetration or contact.
Occurs when a student takes non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for his/her own advantage or benefit, or to benefit or advantage anyone other than the one being exploited, and that behavior does not otherwise constitute one of the other sexual misconduct offenses. Examples of sexual exploitation include, but are not limited to:
Consent is clear, knowing and voluntary. Consent is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable clear permission regarding willingness to engage in (and the conditions of) sexual activity.
Force is the use of physical violence and/or imposing on someone physically to gain sexual access. Force also includes threats, intimidation (implied threats) and coercion that overcome resistance or produce consent ("Have sex with me or I'll hit you. Okay, don't hit me. I'll do what you want.").
Coercion is unreasonable pressure for sexual activity. Coercive behavior differs from seductive behavior based on the type of pressure someone uses to get consent from another. When someone makes clear to you that they do not want sex, that they want to stop, or that they do not want to go past a certain point of sexual interaction, continued pressure beyond that point can be coercive.
Incapacitation is a state where someone cannot make rational, reasonable decisions because they lack the capacity to give knowing consent (e.g., to understand the "who, what, when, where, why or how" of their sexual interaction).
District policy also covers a person whose incapacity results from mental disability, sleep, involuntary physical restraint, or from the taking of rape drugs. Possession, use and/or distribution of any of these substances, including but not limited to Rohypnol, Ketamine, GHB, Burundanga, etc. is prohibited, and administering one of these drugs to another student is a violation. More information on these drugs can be found at 911 Rape Information.
Use of alcohol or other drugs will never function as a defense to a violation of district policy.
The sexual orientation and/or gender identity of individuals engaging in sexual activity is not relevant to allegations. For reference to the pertinent state statutes on sex offenses, please see CA Penal Code Section 261-269.
Any student found responsible for violating the CCCD policy on Non-Consensual or Forced Sexual Contact (where no intercourse has occurred) will likely receive a sanction ranging from probation to expulsion, depending on the severity of the incident, and taking into account any previous campus conduct code violations.
Any student found responsible for violating the CCCD policy on Non-Consensual or Forced Sexual Intercourse will likely face a recommended sanction of suspension or expulsion.
Any student found responsible for violating the CCCD policy on sexual exploitation or sexual harassment will likely receive a recommended sanction ranging from warning to expulsion, depending on the severity of the incident, and taking into account any previous campus conduct code violations.
The Title IX investigative team reserves the right to broaden or lessen any range of recommended sanctions in the case of serious mitigating circumstances or egregiously offensive behavior. Neither the initial hearing officers nor any appeals body or officer will deviate from the range of recommended sanctions unless compelling justification exists to do so.
To Report Gender-Based Discrimination, sexual harassment, non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, or sexual exploitation, please contact Coastline College's designated Title IX Officer:
You may also file a Student Sexual Misconduct (Title IX) Incident Report
The Title IX Officer is responsible for the purposes of initiating notice and/or investigation of sexual misconduct excluding cases involving personnel (not related to a student). The Title IX Officer will assign deputy investigators, who are members of the Investigative Team, to investigate allegations of gender-based discrimination and/or sexual misconduct. The deputy investigators will use discretion on how they act in response to a notice of gender-based discrimination. Understanding that different people on campus have different reporting responsibilities and varied abilities to maintain confidentiality, the Title IX Officer will assign deputy investigators depending on the situation and the parties involved.
If you want the details of the incident to be kept confidential, or you are hesitant to make a formal report, you should speak with mental health counselors or rape crisis resources who can maintain confidentiality.
Mental Health Counselors are available to victims and accused students. For more information, visit the Student Mental Health Services webpage.
Both Orange Coast College and Golden West College Health services are available to Coastline students. The Health Centers at OCC and GWC by law to maintain near or complete confidentiality with limited expectations. This means these employees can offer options and advice without any obligation to inform the Title IX Coordinator, unless you request your information to be shared.
Off-campus victims should immediately call 9-1-1 to report the crime to local law enforcement authorities. Reporting a rape or other act of sexual violence does not commit a victim to filing charges. Even if the victim was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of an attack, a sex crime has still occurred. California Penal Code says that sexual assault victims cannot be charged for misdemeanor alcohol or drug use at the time of the attack.
You can make a police report to the appropriate police department in which the incident occurred.
If this is an emergency, call 911.
You can make a report to Campus Safety at (714) 241-6360.
You can make a report to the campus Title IX Coordinator, Leighia Fleming at (714) 241-6130 or file a report online.
If the incident involves a Coastline College or District faculty or staff member, you can file a complaint with the District Office of Human Resources at (714) 438-4707.
First Step After Sexual Assault: your safety is the top priority.
If you are in danger, call 911. Once you're out of physical danger, contact someone you know and trust, such as a friend, relative, teacher, school counselor, friend's parent, doctor or supportive adult.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, violent crime or a traumatic circumstance, please contact the 24/7 line (407) 500-HEAL.
Search locations to receive a Forensic Sexual Assault Exam.
The College encourages all individuals to seek assistance from a medical provider and/or law enforcement immediately after an incident of sexual violence. This is the best option to ensure preservation of evidence and to begin a timely investigative and remedial response.
If you are a student at Coastline Community College (CCC), and you have been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual violence or other gender-based harassment it is important that you read the following information. Although not intended to be a comprehensive explanation of your options and rights, this information may be useful to you.
Sexual harassment, sexual violence and other gender-based harassment occurring in the college setting implicates a federal law called Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities and which triggers certain responsibilities on the part of the college. CCC has a Title IX Officer who can help explain the college's responsibilities in these cases. The Title IX Office is located in the College Center and the Title IX Officer can be reached at 714.241.6130 or TitleIX@coastline.edu.
CCC is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working and living environment. The college will not tolerate acts of sexual harassment or sexual violence or related retaliation against or by any employee or student. When sexual harassment or sexual violence has occurred and is brought to the attention of a responsible administrator, steps will be taken to end the harassment or violence, prevent its reoccurrence, and address its effects.
The Title IX Officer will review the allegations and determine an appropriate course of action. Some cases can be handled informally and outside of the formal investigative process, although the college will not mediate cases of sexual violence even on a voluntary basis. For cases that result in an investigation, those investigations are conducted by individuals who have received specialized training in those types of investigations. All investigations will be conducted in a thorough and neutral manner.
When the college becomes aware of sexual violence, the college may have an obligation to proceed with an investigation, regardless of a complainant's wishes, in order to ensure campus safety. You are not required to participate if you choose not to; however, this may limit the college's ability to respond to the incident. If you request that your name or other identifying information not be used in an investigation, the college will consider your request in light of the context of its responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment. In most cases, information including your name may be shared with the respondent, witnesses and with college officials who have a legitimate need to know. Beyond that, the college will take steps to protect your identity and the identity of all individuals involved.
In the college's process, the complainant and respondent will not be permitted to directly question each other and are not required to be present together at any point. Both a complainant and a respondent have the right to identify witnesses and provide other information relevant to the investigation. The college will decide the case based on a preponderance of the evidence standard (whether or not it is more likely than not that the conduct occurred).
In most cases, the college will not wait until a criminal case is resolved before proceeding with the case. In addition, if a college official has a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed, she or he may be obligated to report that to law enforcement if police have not already been notified. In cases where a police investigation has been conducted or is being conducted, law enforcement may be able to provide some information to the Title IX Officer with the victim's consent. The college's fact-finding investigation may be delayed for a short period of time upon a request from law enforcement, but will be resumed as soon as possible.
Most sexual violence or sexual harassment investigations conducted through the Title IX Office take up to 60 days to be resolved, depending on the complexity of the case and the number of parties involved. The college will keep a complainant advised as to the status of the case as the complainant desires and as is reasonable. The complainant will be informed of the outcome of the case in writing.
Because the school's primary concern is student safety, minor alcohol and drug violations by a complainant may be handled informally. If you are underage, you will not get in trouble if you report a sexual assault that happened while you were drinking. The use of alcohol or other drugs never makes the victim at fault for sexual violence. An individual accused of sexual misconduct does not avoid or mitigate responsibility because s/he was under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
The college will take interim steps to protect a complainant and a respondent while the case is pending. Depending on the case and the complainant's wishes, these steps may include class moves, ordering a respondent to not have contact with the complainant, excluding a respondent from parts of campus, or providing an escort to accompany you on campus. Any adjustments made will be designed to minimize the burden on the complainant's educational program. Some of these actions may also be remedies in those cases resulting in a finding of a policy violation.
CCC has a policy which prohibits retaliation against any employee or student who reports an incident of alleged sexual harassment or sexual violence, or any employee or student who testifies, assists or participates in a proceeding, investigation or hearing relating to these allegations. Respondents are informed of this provision, and any retaliation should be reported immediately to the appropriate Title IX Officer.
All students have the right to:
At Coastline Community College, we highly encourage bystander intervention as it relates to any form of potential violence such as sexual misconduct, bullying, or any other forms of gender-based discrimination. The following are resources on how to intervene when a potential problem arises with a friend who may need assistance.
Please remember that your safety is of the utmost importance. When a situation that threatens physical harm to yourself or another student, ask someone for help or contact the police.
Do unconscious people want tea? "If they are unconscious, don't make them tea. Unconscious people don't want tea and can't answer the question, 'Do you want tea?' because they are unconscious."
Below the Title IX office has gathered additional information about sexual violence - risk reduction tips and frequently asked questions. Please contact us for further information.
The Title IX Director has completed multiple certifications and is a member of ATIXA. All members of the Title IX are trained in the process. For more information on their training please view ATIXA's Training Materials.
Risk reduction tips can often take a victim-blaming tone, even unintentionally. With no intention to victim-blame, and with recognition that only those who commit sexual violence are responsible for those actions, these suggestions may nevertheless help you to reduce your risk experiencing a non-consensual sexual act. Below, suggestions to avoid committing a non-consensual sexual act are also offered:
If you find yourself in the position of being the initiator of sexual behavior, you owe sexual respect to your potential partner. These suggestions may help you to reduce your risk for being accused of sexual misconduct:
Consent. If you don't get it, you don't get it. Take the #pledge to stop campus sexual assault at itsonus.org/#pledge
Victim Referral Services
Such a simple phrase can take on a different meaning in an unhealthy relationship, escalating from a statement of care to one of control. Go to the One Love website for more information. #ThatsNotLove
Student Services Center - 11460 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, CA 9270
P: 714.241.6130